“REMEMBER  ME” 


DAILY  READINGS  FOR  LENT 


International  Catholic  Truth  Society 
407  Bergen  Street 
Brooklyn,  New  York 


“REMEMBER  ME” 


DAILY  READINGS  FOR  LENT 


International  Catholic  Truth  Society 
407  Bergen  Street 
Brooklyn,  New  York 


Contents 


Shrove  Tuesday 5 

Ash  Wednesday 6 

First  Thursday  in  Lent 7 

First  Friday  in  Lent 9 

First  Sunday  in  Lent 10 

Monday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 11 

Tuesday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 12 

Wednesday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 13 

Thursday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 14 

Friday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent  . ^ 15 

Saturday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 16 

The  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 17 

Monday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 18 

Tuesday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 19 

Wednesday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent  ....  20 

Thursday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 21 

Friday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 22 

Saturday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent  .....  23 

The  Third  Sunday  in  Lent 24 

Monday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent 25 

Tuesday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent 26 

Wednesday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent 27 


3 


Thursday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 28 

Friday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent  . 

. 29 

Saturday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 30 

The  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent  .... 

. 31 

Monday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 32 

Tuesday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 33 

Wednesday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 34 

Thursday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 35 

Friday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent  . 

. 36 

Saturday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 37 

The  Fifth  Sunday  in*  Lent 

. 38 

Monday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent  . 

. 39 

Tuesday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 40 

Wednesday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 41 

Thursday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 42 

Friday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent  . 

. 43 

Saturday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 44 

The  Sixth  Sunday  in  Lent 

. 45 

Monday  in  Holy  Week 

. 46 

Tuesday  in  Holy  Week 

. 47 

Wednesday  in  Holy  Week 

. 48 

Maundy  Thursday  

. 49 

Good  Friday 

. 50 

Saturday  in  Holy  Week 

. 51 

4 


REMEMBER  ME 


PRELUDE. 

Shrove  Tuesday 

A spiritual  writer  summarises  man’s  primary  business 
— his  duty  towards  his  soul,  the  breath  of  his  creator — 
in  the  words,  ‘'Remember  Me.”  He  reminds  us  of  the 
longing  desire  of  all  men  to  be  remembered  by  their 
friends  on  earth,  and  leads  us  up  by  this  consideration 
to  Christ’s  command  (since  Christ  is  God  as  well  as 
man),  that  we  should  remember  Him.  It  is  the  substance 
of  His  culminating  address,  the  one  before  His  Passion, 
the  one  in  which  He  gave  the  means  to  remember  Him 
perfectly.  Now  as  our  reception  of  Christ’s  Body  and 
Blood  in  Holy  Communion  is  to  the  Masses  we  hear ; so, 
by  analogy,  is  Lent — the  time  of  our  more  complete 
recollection  of  His  sufferings — to  the  rest  of  the  year. 
It  is  a more  perfect  way. 

Let  us  then,  accompany  His  servants  who  shall  act  as 
guides — pedagogues  to  lead  us,  as  some  member  of  a 
great  man’s  household  led  his  children  to  school  in  old 
Roman  days — let  us  walk  daily  to  school  this  Lent,  to 
learn  more  perfectly  than  we  have  hitherto  done  the  sci- 
ence of  remembrance. 

Let  us  hasten  and  do  that  now,  which  may  be  expedient 
for  us  for  ever  hereafter. 

St,  Benedict. 


NOTE — The  mottoes  after  some  of  the  readings  are  designed 
to  serve  as  a thought  for  use  now  and  again  during  the  day, 
as  a reminder  of  the  morning’s  meditation. 


6 


Ash  Wednesday 

The  past  three  weeks  have  suggested  reflection  on  the 
diseases  of  our  souls,  and  tended  towards  a realization 
of  the  depths  of  the  wounds  sin  has  inflicted  on  us ; we 
should  now  be  in  some  measure  prepared  for  the  penance 
the  Church  is  oflfering  us.  For  we  know,  better  than  we 
did,  God’s  justice  and  holiness,  as  well  as  the  dangers  to 
which  an  impenitent  soul  lies  exposed;  while  to  encour- 
age in  our  own  a sincere  and  lasting  amendment,  we  lay 
aside  the  unprofitable  joys  and  idle  amusements  of  the 
world.  The  ashes  have  been  scattered  on  our  heads,  and 
we  have  been  humiliated  by  the  sentence  of  death  pro- 
nounced over  us. 

In  the  course  of  this  trial  of  forty  days,  which  our 
weakness  only  finds  long,  we  shall  not  be  deprived  of  our 
Savior’s  presence.  He  has  preceded  and  outpaced  us  on 
the  royal  road.  He  has  tried  it  and  accomplished  its 
course  before  us,  in  order  to  answer,  by  His  example, 
the  excuses  and  arguments  our  self-indulgence  or  pride 
may  urge.  Let  us  accept  the  lesson  fully,  and  so  arrive 
at  an  understanding  of  the  law  of  expiation.  ‘‘Do  pen- 
ance, for  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  drawing  near.”  Let 
us  open  our  heart  to  this  appeal,  that  the  Savior  may 
not  be  compelled  to  awake  us  from  our  lethargy  by  the 
terrible  threat  He  employed  on  another  occasion : “If  you 
do  not  repent  you  shall  all  perish.” 

Dom  Gueranger. 

If  you  forget  your  sins  God  will  remember  them,  but 
if  you  remember  them  He  on  His  side  will  forget. 

Pere  Cestac. 


7 

First  Thursday  in  Lent 

What  is  the  meaning  of  the  phrase,  ^'Blessed  are  the 
poor  in  spirit?’’  There  is  one  reading  of  it  that  I par- 
ticularly affect.  St.  Thomas  quotes  it  as  a thought  of 
St.  John  Chrysostom’s;  St.  Francis  de  Sales  too  refers  to 
it;  and  Cornelius  a Lapide  dwells  on  it  with  satisfaction. 
Here  it  is,  put  briefly : 

Happy  are  the  poor  (as  the  Greek  text  says,  the  beg- 
gars), in  spirit;  that  is  to  say,  happy  those  who  realize, 
as  St.  Augustine  reflects,  that  man  is  only  a pauper  be- 
fore one  Supreme  Possessor.  Happy  is  he,  who,  filled 
with  an  infinite  trust  in  a father’s  goodness,  looks  upon 
himself  as  a son  who  is  in  want  of  all  things,  not  having 
anything  of  his  own,  but  possesses  all  through  love, 
through  the  limitless  tenderness  of  him  who  loves.  Happy 
the  Christian  who  has  this  selfsame  feeling.  He  is  a child 
who  begs,  it  is  true,  but  there  is  no  disgrace  in  begging 
from  a father,  especially  when  that  Father  is  God;  he 
is  a child  who  begs,  but  that  is  what  love  means,  to  feel 
of  no  account  before  him  whom  one  loves.  He  is  a child 
who  begs ; all  the  better,  for  it  is  a quality  of  mendicancy 
that  it  can  ask  for  anything,  can  beg,  can  knock,  can  re- 
turn and  knock  again,  never  taking  a final  refusal ; gain- 
ing sometimes  by  insistence  what  was  at  first  refused. 

So  the  Gospel  says,  not  that  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
will  he  his,  but  that  it  is  his,  who  is  poor  in  spirit.  He 
possesses  the  charm  that  can  procure  him  grace,  and 
light,  and  strength,  and  the  happiness  that  is  a foretaste 
of  celestial  bliss — the  dawn  of  its  endless  day. 

Mgr,  Landriat. 

The  joy  of  the  just  is  from  God,  and  in  God,  their 
rejoicing  is  of  the  truth.  Thomas  d Kempis. 


8 


First  Friday  in  Lent 

Alas,  for  our  dearest  Lord ! up  to  this  day  what  have 
we  done  for  Him?  You  see  what  He  has  done  for  us, 
and  the  end  of  His  doing  it  was  to  gain  our  love!  We 
look  upon  a crucifix,  and  it  hardly  moves  us.  We  hear 
of  His  bittter  passion,  but  our  eyes  are  dry  and  our  hearts 
indifferent.  We  kneel  down  to  pray,  but  we  can  hardly 
keep  our  thoughts  fixed  upon  Him  for  a quarter  of  an 
hour  together.  We  go  into  His  own  most  holy  presence, 
and  we  hardly  bend  the  knee  before  the  Tabernacle  lest 
it  should  spoil  our  clothes.  We  see  others  sin,  and  what 
is  it  to  us  that  Jesus  is  offended,  so  long  as  it  is  not  we 
who  are  risking  our  souls  by  offending  Him?  These  are 
strange  signs  of  love!  Surely  Jesus  cannot  be  much  to 
us  if  this  is  the  way  we  feel  about  Him.  Yet  so  it  is.  We 
go  our  own  way,  and  do  our  own  will.  The  great  thing 
is  to  please  ourselves  and  to  make  things  easy  to  us.  Life 
must  be  taught  to  run  smooth.  As  to  penance,  it  must 
be  kept  at  arm’s  length.  We  must  have  our  bodily  com- 
forts and  worldly  conveniences  and  our  spiritual  life 
must  be  nothing  but  a sufficiency  of  those  inward  con- 
solations without  which  our  souls  give  us  pain,  because 
they  are  not  at  rest.  If  we  worship  God  it  is  for  self,  if 
we  do  good  to  others,  it  is  self  we  are  seeking,  even  in 
our  charity.  Poor  Jesus  Christ!  as  St.  Alphonsus  used 
to  say — ^poor  Jesus  Christ!  Who  thinks  of  Him?  Who 
weds  his  interest  ? Father  Faber. 

The  secret  of  being  always  with  God  and  of  ensuring 
His  continual  presence  in  our  hearts,  is  constant  prayer. 

St,  Isidore. 


9 


First  Saturday  in  Lent 

These  two  things  should  be  combined — a strong  desire 
to  carry  out  our  religious  duties  exactly,  our  prayers  as 
well  as  our  practices,  and  the  desire  not  to  allow  our- 
selves to  be  troubled,  disquieted,  or  astonished  if  we  find 
ourselves  failing  in  either ; for  the  first  point  depends  on 
our  fidelity,  which  should  always  be  complete  and  grow 
hourly,  the  second  on  our  infirmity,  which  we  can  never 
get  rid  of  in  this  life.  When  we  fail  we  should  at  once 
examine  our  heart  and  learn  from  it  if  it  is  slackening  in 
its  firm  resolution  of  serving  God ; and  I hope  that  it  may 
reply,  No,  that  it  would  suffer  a thousand  deaths  rather 
than  lose  hold  of  this  intention.  One  must  then  further 
ask,  what  then  is  the  cause  of  your  stumbling?  Why  are 
you  acting  so  weakly?  It  may  reply,  I was  taken  un- 
awares; I do  not  know  how,  but  my  feet  are  so  heavy 
just  now.  Alas!  then  we  must  pardon  it.  It  is  not  failing 
through  infidelity  but  by  frailty.  We  must  correct  it 
gently,  not  scold  it  and  add  to  its  trouble,  we  must  cry, 
Up  in  God's  name,  and  onwards ! let  us  take  more  care, 
looking  towards  God,  our  help.  We  must  have  charity 
towards  our  own  soul,  not  rate  it  for  an  offence  that  is 
not  w:ilful. 

Observe,  in  this  exercise  we  practise  holy  humility; 
what  we  do  for  our  salvation  is  done  in  God's  service ; for 
our  Savior  Himself  only  worked  for  our  salvation  while 
on  earth. 

St,  Francis  de  Sales. 

What  harm  can  come  to  him  who  knows  that  God  does 
all,  and  who  loves,  before  it  happens,  all  God  does? 

Mme.  Swetchine. 


10 


The  First  Sunday  in  Lent 


Christus,  Behold  a matter  that  is  deeply  displeasing  to 
Me,  namely,  how  few  there  are  who  recognize  the  value 
of  time,  the  time  that  I lend  to  men  for  doing  penance, 
for  increasing  the  grace  given  them,  for  acquiring  heav- 
enly glory.  Lo,  the  acceptable  yet  irrevocable  time,  passes, 
and  no  one  is  considering  it  in  his  heart ; the  days  of  sal- 
vation are  slipping  by,  and  no  one  makes  the  occasion  of 
their  flight  a reason  for  using  well  what  can  never  re- 
turn. 

But  thou,  as  far  as  thou  art  able,  flee  the  things  of 
time,  such  as  acquaintanceship,  speech-making,  and  occu- 
pations of  small  profit,  and  because  the  days  are  evil, 
redeem  the  time  that  should  be  given  rather  to  Me  and 
to  thy  soul  than  to  others.  Is  My  proposition  hard  and 
difficult?  Observe  how  much  time  is  given  up  to  the 
body  for  food  and  sleep,  to  conversation,  banquets,  and 
the  rest,  so  that  you  cannot  give  ever  so  small  a portion 
to  God,  to  your  soul,  to  eternity!  Alas,  how  prodigal 
men  are  of  time  when  it  is  a question  of  serving  vanity, 
how  sparing  of  it  when  it  is  a case  of  occupying  them- 
selves with  His  business  to  whom  all  time  is  owed. 

F,  M,  Horst, 


Jesus,  be  Thou  ever  with  me  in  the  way;  in  every 
place  and  at  every  time  be  my  good  guide,  that  I go  not 
astray  in  by-ways.  Thomas  a Kempis. 


11 


Monday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent. 

The  iris  has  a dark-blue  flower,  with  leaves  shaped 
like  a sword.  Therefore  it  is  often  called  the  sword-lily, 
and  has  been  chosen  as  the  emblem  of  warfare.  If  thou 
dost  aspire  to  be  a lily  of  purity  thou  must  seize  the 
sword.  If  you  wouldst  live  chase  and  spotless  thou  must 
not  fear  the  battle,  but  must  stand  armed  and  prepared 
to  fight.  After  the  fall  of  our  first  parents  and  their 
expulsion  from  the  garden  of  Paradise,  a cherub  with  a 
flaming  sword  was  placed  at  the  entrance  of  it  in  order 
to  guard  it.  St.  Michael  also  was  armed  with  a sword, 
and  with  it  drove  Lucifer  and  his  followers  out  of 
heaven.  * * 

The  flower  of  the  sword-lily  is  of  a dark-blue  or  pur- 
ple color,  the  emblem  of  sorrow  and  penance.  In  time  of 
Advent,  when  we  are  sighing  for  the  coming  of  Christ, 
and  purify  our  sighs  and  yearnings  by  penance,  or  in 
Lent,  when  with  sorrow  and  contrition  we  contemplate 
the  bitter  sufiferings  and  passion  of  our  Savior,  the 
Church  assumes  a purple  coloring.  Our  hearts  should 
be  ever  like  the  flower  of  the  sword-lily,  clad  with  the 
garment  of  sorrow  and  compassion — sorrow  for  our  sins 
and  compassion  for  the  dead,  who  are  always  so  grateful 
for  our  love  and  repay  our  remembrance  of  them  a thou- 
sand fold. 

Louis  Gemminger. 

We  cannot  take  too  many  precautions  when  eternity  is 
in  question. 


St.  Gregory. 


n 


Tuesday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 

The  customary  excuse  alleged  against  the  necessity  of 
almsgiving  is  that  one  has  hardly  enough  for  oneself, 
that  one  has  a position  to  keep  up,  children  to  start  in 
life,  creditors  to  pay,  embarrassments  to  clear,  a large 
family  to  maintain,  a thousand  civilities  one  is  bound  to 
return — how,  on  one’s  moderate  income,  hardly  sufficient 
to  meet  necessary  expenses,  can  one  spare  anything  for 
charity  ? Now  I know  that  things  are  not  the  same  for  all, 
that  expenses  are  greater  in  proportion  for  some  than  for 
others,  that  they  are  increased  according  to  rank,  or  birth, 
or  official  status ; but  I do  ask  you,  should  avarice  or 
should  the  Gospel  regulate  the  proportionate  expenditure 
of  a Christian?  Do  you  venture  to  assert  that  your  in- 
come, by  the  ill-regulated  use  of  which  you  exhaust  your 
supplies,  is  an  inseparable  part  of  your  position ; that  what 
tends  altogether  to  make  life  easy  is  absolutely  your 
right;  that  what  helps  to  flatter  your  pride,  feed  your 
ambition,  corrupt  your  taste,  is  literally  a necessity?  Do 
you  maintain  that  because  you  yourself  have  been  raised 
above  the  level  of  the  crowd,  that  you  are  justified  in  en- 
tirely forgetting  the  simpler  life  of  your  ancestors,  and 
living  on  the  same  scale  with  those  nobler  or  greater  than 
you,  maintaining  the  same  establishment  as  they  do,  just 
because  you  can  pay  for  it?  If  that  is  so,  if  emulation  is 
to  be  the  measure  of  your  necessity,  then  indeed  be  self- 
indulgent,  be  proud,  be  wasteful  and  ambitious ; for  then 
you  have  an  excuse  for  refraining  from  charity  to  your 
brethren — and  then  only. 


Mgr.  Massillon. 


13 


Wednesday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 

''Dear  Lord!  It  is  just  when  I am  in  the  world  that  I 
have  most  need  of  Thee,  because  Thou  knowest  it  is  full 
of  snares  that  the  devil  has  set  for  me.  Thou  must  hold 
my  hand,  dear  Lord,  if  Thou  wilt  not  abandon  me.  A 
little  of  the  world  is  not  bad  for  me ; it  is  even  good,  for 
it  teaches  me  how  small  it  is,  and  I feel  the  greater  hap- 
piness when  I come  back  to  Thee.  But  that  I may  surely 
do  so,  Thou  must  only  loose  Thy  hold  a little,  that  it  may 
not  try  me  too  far,  Thou  must  not  entirely  leave  hold. 
Dost  Thou  see  dear  Lord  ? I wish  to  clasp  Thy  hand — 
do  not  refuse  me!'’ 

All  that  one  says  to  the  Savior  is  prayer,  and  when 
the  mind  cannot  apply  itself  to  the  effort  of  true  prayer, 
a few  simple  words  to  Him  become  one.  It  is  needful 
always  to  think  of  Him,  even  if  it  is  only  by  the  thought 
that  one  is  thinking  less  of  Him — one  must  be  always 
thinking  of  Him  and  then  bit  by  bit  He  draws  one  back 
entirely  to  Him,  He  is  so  good! 

"As  Thou  wilt,  my  Lord ! I will  all  Thou  dost  will, 
because  the  only  thing  I do  not  will.  Thou  also  dost  not 
will  it — that  I shall  cease  to  be  Thy  child." 

Eugene  de  Ferronays. 


I am  Thine,  I live  for  Thee,  to  Thee  must  I return — 
How  high  a destiny  is  mine ! 


Pere  Cestac, 


14 


Thursday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 

'‘The  fear  of  the  Lord  is  holy,  remaining  for  ever  and 
ever/’ 

The  fear  of  God  is  of  three  kinds,  all  three  good,  just, 
sanctifying  and  proceeding  from  the  Holy  Spirit,  but 
not  equal  in  beauty  nor  in  moral  yalue.  The  first  is  the 
fear  of  the  chastisement  God  inflicts  on  the  sinner,  the 
second  the  fear  of  the  sin  that  ofifends  God,  the  third  is 
no  other  than  an  enlightened,  profound,  and  practical 
conviction  of  the  infinite  and  divine  Majesty,  and  of  the 
inefifable  reverence  that  is  His  due. 

The  first  fear  diminishes  as  the  second  grows.  The 
second  in  its  progress  closely  follows  that  of  love ; and 
as  St.  John  teaches,  where  love  is  perfect  it  destroys  the 
earlier  fear,  not  perhaps  in  its  essential  elements,  here 
below,  but  in  its  exercise.  As  to  the  third,  it  not  only 
believes,  as  the  second  does,  but  in  one  sense  is  charity 
itself,  for  it  sees  and  feels  that  its  object  surpasses  it  on 
every  side,  in  every  way,  and  that  infinitely.  It  is  in  this 
sense  that  fear  dwells  in  Paradise,  and  there  only  is 
perfected. 

Mgr.  Gay, 


He  need  not  fear  anything,  nor  be  ashamed  of  any- 
thing, who  bears  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  his  brow. 

St,  Augustine. 


15 


Friday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 

Learn  the  kindness  of  the  Crucified.  His  enemies  said, 
“His  blood  be  upon  us  and  upon  our  children.’^  Not  so 
Christ,  but  supplicating  the  Father,  He  said : “Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do/’  For  if 
His  blood  had  indeed  fallen  upon  them  and  upon  their 
children,  the  apostles  would  not  have  been  made  out  of 
their  children,  neither  three  thousand  nor  five  thousand 
would  have  believed  on  the  spot.  See  how  barbarous  and 
cruel  those  were  towards  their  descendants ! they  ignored 
even  nature  itself,  whilst  God  was  more  loving  than  all  the 
fathers  put  together,  and  tenderer  than  any  mother. 

He  did  not  at  once  let  the  chasemeiit  and  penalty  fall 
upon  them,  but  He  allowed  forty  years  and  more  to  pass 
after  the  cross.  Our  Lord  Himself  was  crucified  under 
Tiberius,  and  their  city  was  destroyed  under  Vespasian 
and  Titus.  Now  why  did  He  allow  so  long  a time  to 
elapse  after  all  these  things?  Because  He  wished  to  give 
them  time  for  repentance,  so  that  they  might  put  off  their 
impieties  and  be  quit  of  their  crimes.  As,  having  a re- 
spite for  conversion,  they  remained  in  their  impenitence, 
He  at  last  inflicted  punishment  upon  them,  and  destroy- 
ing their  city,  sent  them  out  wanderers  over  the,  face  of 
the  earth.  And  this  He  did  through  love.  He  dispersed 
them  that  they  might  everywhere  see  that  Christ  whom 
they  had  crucified  adored,  and  that  seeing  Him  adored 
by  all  they  might  learn  His  power  and  acknowledge  their 
own  exceeding  wickedness,  and  in  acknowledging  might 
come  to  the  truth. 


St.  John  Chrysostom. 


16 


Saturday  after  the  First  Sunday  in  Lent 

What  is  fervor?  It  does  not  mean  emotion.  Fervor 
consists  in  these  three  things:  regularity,  punctuality, 
and  exactness — that  is  doing  our  duty  to  God  by  rule ; 
doing  it  punctually  at  the  right  time ; and,  exactly,  that 
is,  as  perfectly  as  we  can.  But  if  we  have  been  indulg- 
ing in  venial  sins,  of  any  sort  or  kind,  we  begin  to  do 
our  duty  towards  God  in  a slovenly  way ; we  neglect  the 
right  time : we  do  it  irregularly,  we  put  off  God  with 
imperfect  service.  Those  venial  sins  are  like  the  dust  set- 
tling on  a perfect  machine.  As  the  dust  accumulates  upon 
the  timepiece,  the  motion  of  the  timepiece  becomes 
slower;  and  as  it  becomes  sluggish  it  loses  its  perfection. 
So,  mortal  sin  is  the  death  of  the  soul,  but  venial  sin  is 
the  disease  of  the  soul.  Those  who  willingly  allow  them- 
selves to  fall  into  such  infirmities  and  imperfections, 
which  are  not  yet  mortal  are  like  men  who  are  making 
bad  blood,  men  in  whom  morbid  humors  are  accumulat- 
ing a lingering  malady  upon  them.  More  than  this,  venial 
sins  have  the  effect  of  giving  a perverse  inclination  to 
the  will.  The  will  once  united  with  God,  and  converted 
to  God,  has  begun  gradually  to  avert  itself  from  God. 
There  is  no  such  thing  as  an  equilibrium  between  God 
and  sin ; that  cannot  be ; and  when  the  will  loses  its  union 
with  God,  it  immediately  inclines  itself  towards  sin. 
* * * Once  more,  such  sins  displease  God ; and  can  any 
sin  be  small  which  displeases  God? 


Cardinal  Manning. 


17 


The  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 

Nothing  is  more  useful  or  wholesome  for  one  who 
would  fain  come  to  life  everlasting,  than  to  meditate  con- 
tinually on  the  salvation  of  his  soul.  He  that  is  more 
anxious  for  his  soul’s  good  than  for  the  increase  of  his 
fortune  or  comforts  of  his  body  is  a merchant  truly  wise ; 
for  he  valueth  the  spiritual  riches  which  perish  not  more 
than  the  perishable  good  things  of  earth. 

Blessed  is  that  good  servant  who  has  been  faithful  over 
a little,  who  useth  every  moment  of  his  life  in  a profit- 
able way ; who  is  not  busied  with  what  doth  not  concern 
him,  and  who,  to  please  God,  becometh  like  one  that 
is  deaf  and  dumb.  He  goeth  through  the  bustle  of  the 
world  in  peace,  having  his  soul  always  in  his  hand. 

Take  therefore  no  thought  of  the  behavior  of  thy 
neighbor,  save  and  as  far  as  the  love  of  God  and  charity 
may  require.  Desire  not  the  praises  of  men,  seeing  they 
are  vain.  Be  not  fearful  of  their  reproach ; for  instead  of 
doing  harm  to  thy  soul,  humiliations  cleanse  it,  and  ren- 
der it  more  meet  to  receive  a brighter  crown  in  heaven ; 
and  none  are  worthy  to  be  glorified  in  heaven  who  are 
unable  to  bear  reproach  on  earth  for  the  love  of  God. 

Thomas  a Kempis. 


Bear  the  annoyances  of  your  condition  in  a penitential 
spirit;  these  are  the  penances  God  assigns  you  and  far 
more  useful  than  what  you  may  choose  for  yourself. 

Fenelon. 


18 


Monday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 


When  you  think  about  making  money,  you  do  not  for 
a moment  consider  those  poorer  than  yourself,  you  aspire 
to  level  yourself  with  those  richer.  It  is  only  in  religious 
matters  that  yoy  show  a tendency  to  modesty  and  self- 
efifacement.  It  is  only  there  that  you  meekly  quote  your 
inferiors.  Why  do  you  not  rather  imitate  Zaccheus,  who 
gave  half  his  goods  to  the  poor.  One  is  reduced  to  wish- 
ing that  the  Christians  of  the  present  day  would  imitate 
the  Pharisees,  who  gave  the  tenth  of  what  they  possessed. 
Jesus  Christ  has  a kingdom.  He  has  taxes,  domains, 
treasures,  a treasury  in  heaven ; that  treasury  is  the  purse 
of  the  poor,  the  common  purse  such  as  He  had  on  earth 
with  His  disciples.  Levy  a tax  on  yourselves,  a settled 
tax  upon  the  annual  income  you  receive  from  your  pos- 
sessions, or  your  earnings — be  your  own  Customs-officer. 
Now,  will  you  make  it  a tenth  ? I hope  so,  even  though 
that’s  not  much,  since  that  is  what  the  Pharisees  gave, 
and  if  your  justice  does  not  exceed  that  of  the  Pharisees 
you  will  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

St.  Augustine > 


The  poor  hold  out  their  hands,  but  God  receives  what 
is  given  to  them. 


Pere  Chassay. 


19 


Tuesday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 

Of  the  three  kinds  of  Pride.  There  are  three,  one  of 
thought,  that  is  when  any  one  thinks  himself  more  highly 
than  he  ought  to  think;  against  which  it  is  said,  ''Be  not 
high-minded,  but  rather  fear,’’  and  which  he  denies  to 
exist  in  himself  who  say,  "Lord  I am  not  high-minded, 
my  looks  are  not  proud.”  Another  is  of  will,  when  any- 
one wants  to  be  treated  with  more  consideration  than 
is  his  due;  against  which  it  is  said, "How  can  ye  be- 
lieve who  are  receiving  honor  one  from  another?”  A 
third  is  in  deed  against  which  saith  the  Lord,  "When 
thou  art  bidden  to  a feast  sit  not  down  in  the  highest 
place.”  This,  when  a man  treats  himself  better  than  he 
ought. 

Against  each  of  these  forms  many  sayings  are  found 
in  Holy  Scripture,  if  they  are  sought  out.  Against  all  it 
is  said,  "Whoso  exalteth  himself  shall  be  humbled,”  and 
"God  resisteth  the  proud.  And  many  other  passages 
there  are. 

Of  these  three,  when  each  one  is  by  itself  that  is  the 
least  which  is  in  deed  only,  because  it  is  done  through 
ignorance  alone,  and  yet  since  it  is  a fault  it  ought  to  be 
amended.  Of  the  other  two  that  which  is  in  wilb  alone 
is  more  to  be  condemned,  because  it  errs  knowingly.  But 
that  which  is  in  thought  is  only  the  more  foolish,  since 
it  does  not  manifest  itself,  and  to  itself  appears  quite 
just.  * * * 

If  your  prudence  will  frequently  reconsider  this,  you 
will  undrestand  it  more  fully  than  is  here  set  down. 

St.  An^selm, 


20 


Wednesday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 

May  you  hope  to  receive  temporal  blessings  from  God? 
Yes,  in  the  degree  in  which  they  are  connected  with  your 
sanctification  and  salvation.  It  is  plain  that  in  themselves 
such  gains  cannot  be  the  object  of  supernatural  desires ; 
they  may,  however,  become  one  in  any  way  by  which  they 
are  more  or  less  directly  connected  with  our  end.  That  is 
why,  when  He  engages  solemnly  to  hear  our  prayers,  our 
Lord  makes  no  categorical  reserve.  He  says,  ‘'All  that 
you  ask  shall  be  granted  you,  or,  all  that  you  desire  you 
shall  see  accomplished.''  And  indeed  in  the  sublime  and 
universal  prayer  He  taught  us  Himself,  and  which  ob- 
viously is  the  guide  for  our  hopes,  no  less  than  four  of 
the  seven  petitions  composing  it  regard  temporal  or 
earthly  gifts.  The  remark  is  St.  Augustine's.  But  be  care- 
ful to  observe  that  these  good  things  have  never  more 
than  a relative  value  for  Christians,  and  that  to  consider 
them  inside  this  connection  is  to  be  the  victim  of  an  illu- 
sion. To  desire  and  demand  them  for  their  own  sake,  is 
to  set  your  foot  on  an  insecure  and  perilous  track;  and 
even  those  who  desire  them  in  relation  to  a higher  object, 
are  bound  invariably  to  keep  in  mind  the  character  of 
superfluity  attributed  to  earthly  gifts  by  our  Lord  in  the 
Gospel.  They  are  thrown  into  the  bargain,  so  to  speak, 
when  God  grants  them,  and  we  should  realize  this  as  well 
as  the  fact  that  He  gives  them  as  necessary  or  useful  ad- 
juncts only.  So  while  we  ask  for  them  with  humble  sim- 
plicity, we  at  the  same  time  leave  ourselves  entirely  to 
Him  in  the  matter,  without  any  shadow  of  disquietude. 

Mgr,  Gay, 


21 


Thursday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 

My  advice  is  to  put  confidence  in  prayer.  I repeat  it 
in  prayer,  whatever  your  state  of  mind.  It  is  indeed  a 
great,  fatal  delusion,  to  cease  from  prayer  because  a 
fault  has  been  committed.  Such  discouragement  is  not 
in  accordance  with  God's  will,  who  well  knows  our  piti- 
ableness and  never  asks  our  confidence  more  than  when 
all  seems  lost.  Indeed  God  adopts  in  relation  to  us,  many 
titles  directly  encouraging  in  times  of  great  distrust.  He 
is  a father,  a physician,  a good  shepherd,  the  prodigal's 
father  even,  and  we  have  these  names  to  choose  from 
among  them  that  which  best  suits  our  actual  condition. 
We  ought,  to  give  ourselves  up  to  the  feeling  that  cor- 
responds to  the  one  chosen,  as,  gratitude,  love,  or  per- 
haps confusion,  grief,  and  regret,  though  these  last 
should  be  filial  and  accompanied  by  a lively  confidence 
in  God's  goodness. 

Such  is  His  way  founded  on  His  will;  anything  else 
arises  from  self-love  for  the  natural  man,  and  can  lead 
us  to  no  good.  For  the  rest  we  must  never  neglect  vigi- 
lance. Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  linked  these  two  rules  to- 
gether; watch  and  pray. 

Pere  Cestac, 


Why  should  you  suppose  God  is  far  off  because  you 
cannot  perceive  Him?  He  is  always,  you  may  be  sure, 
near  to  those  whose  hearts  are  blank  and  sorrowful. 


Fenelon, 


Friday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 


Let  us  try  to  enter  into  the  intentions  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  of  Jesus,  to  infuse  our  hearts  with  the  feelings 
that  animated  His  when  on  earth — the  glory  of  God  by 
the  cessation,  or  at  least  the  diminuation  of  sin.  Can  our 
thoughts  or  desires  find  a more  glorious  object?  One 
more  worthy  of  our  zeal?  If  to  this  is  added  the  con- 
version of  sinners,  the  thought  alone  excites  the  heart 
including  as  it  does  all  those  ills  of  human  nature  of  which 
sin  is  the  head  and  cause,  the  physical  suflferings  of  sin- 
ners in  time,  the  frightful  eternity  of  infinite  woe  they 
cannot  escape  without  repentance.  If,  again,  from  these 
general  considerations,  we  pass  to  those  which,  among 
the  mass  of  sinners  enduring  them,  touch  us  more  nearly, 
is  it  not  impossible  for  us  to  help  glowing  with  ardent 
desires  of  compassion  and  Christian  charity? 

Following  Christ's  example,  then,  we  must  sanctify 
ourselves  to  obtain  the  conversion  and  sanctification  of 
our  brethren  then  will  sinners  indeed  repent — each  offer- 
ing of  self  will  be  a victory. 

Abhe  Des  Gennettes. 

If  we  wish  to  help  our  neighbors,  we  must  reserve 
neither  place,  nor  hour,  nor  season  for  ourselves. 

St.  Philip  Neri. 


23 


Saturday  after  the  Second  Sunday  in  Lent 

In  this  world  we  have  to  live  by  faith,  for  all  that  we 
suffer  comes  from  God’s  hand.  It  is  either  willed  or 
permitted  by  God — and  for  our  good.  Some  trials  indeed 
come  straight  from  Him.  Such  are  the  interior  anguish 
of  dereliction,  of  desolation,  of  dryness,  and  others  of 
the  same  kind.  Our  Lady  suffered  such  a trial  in  the 
loss  of  her  Son  after  the  Feast.  Think  of  this  grief  by 
the  light  of  the  love  she  bore  Him.  Think  too,  of  the 
answer  given  her  at  the  moment  of  her  ecstacy  at  meeting 
Him  again ; of  another  trial  of  hers  when  at  the  mar- 
riage in  Cana  He  seemed  to  repel  her  suggestion.  Did 
either  shake  her  faith  or  cause  her  to  protest  ? Consider 
her  gentleness  whom  His  reproof  rendered  still  meeker, 
and  compare  it  with  the  impulse  of  our  souls  when  God 
sends  us  trials.  Where  is  our  faith?  We  fail  to  find 
recollectedness  in  prayer,  and  we  leave  it  off : we  lose  our 
old  fervor  in  the  reception  of  the  Sacraments,  and  we 
neglect  them.  In  our  spiritual  desolation  we  turn  to  crea- 
tures for  comfort  and  when  God  withdraws  himself  from 
us  to  prove  our  affection  or  to  draw  us  to  Him,  we  per- 
haps forsake  Him. 

O hard  and  foolish  hearts ! Ask  rather  for  crosses  and 
trials  and  labor : they  lead,  as  they  well  may,  to  a closer 
likeness  to  Mary’s  holy  heart,  to  a closer  union  with  that 
of  her  Divine  Son. 

P,  Manfredini. 

Jesus,  sick  of  heart.  His  friends  asleep,  and  His 
enemies  vigilant,  places  Himself  entirely  in  His  Father’s 
hands. 


Pascal. 


24 


Third  Sunday  in  Lent 

The  further  humanity  progresses,  the  more  striking 
does  Christ's  power  become.  As  each  new  horizon  opens 
out,  as  each  fresh  need  arrives,  this  power  responds  to 
it  by  a new  illumination,  by  a remedy  hitherto  unguessed. 

How  many  marvels  for  example  are  evident  to  us  that 
the  earliest  Christians  never  dreamed  of,  but  that  we  are 
compelled  to  confess  always  existed  in  His  intention,  and 
what  marvels  are  there  not  that  we  cannot  divine,  but 
of  which  our  children’s  children  will  be  constrained  to 
say.  He  knew  them  of  old,  from  before  the  ages. 

And  whilst  this  power  wears  through  time,  renewed  to 
meet  the  least  advances  of  civilization,  its  strength  is 
undiminished.  It  impresses  souls  at  the  end  of  twenty 
centuries  as  in  their  first  days.  Napoleon  said : “A  man’s 
heart  glows  at  the  recital  of  Alexander’s  conquests,  but 
here  is  a conqueror  who  makes  the  whole  human  race 
His  own,  and  makes  it  like  to  Himself — a miracle  indeed ! 

Mgr.  Bougaud. 


Do  you  need  such  great  knowledge  to  love  God  and 
deny  yourself  for  His  love?  You  already  know  a great 
deal  more  than  you  practise.  Pension. 


25 


Monday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent. 

Whenever  you  do  anything — that  is,  in  general — do 
all  things — that  is,  each  thing  in  particular — in  the  name, 
not  only  to  the  name,  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ; and  fur- 
ther give  thanks  to  God  through  Him.  (Col.  iii.  17.) 

As  everything  should  be  offered  to  God,  so  everything 
should  be  given  thanks  for  to  Him;  since  whatever  you 
offer  Him  is  really  His  gift.  You  are  a river,  grateful 
to  its  origin,  but  only  a river ; you  have  to  bear  back  to 
the  ocean  what  was  given  to  you  from  it.  Observe  how 
the  Church,  directed  in  this  matter  by  the  Apostle  Paul, 
has  instituted  two  solemn  prayers  to  be  said  one  ^t  the 
beginning  and  one  at  the  end  of  every  duty,  to  commend 
it  to  God  and  to  thank  Him  for  it.  This  thanksgiving  is 
due  to  God  Himself,  to  God  as  the  Fountain  of  all  good 
that  flows  to  us,  to  God  the  Father  and  just  as  He  gives 
us  all  through  the  medium  of  Jesus  Christ,  so  He  delights 
that  we  should  thank  Him  for  all  by  Jesus  Christ. 

But  somehow  the  greater  part  of  mankind  seems  to 
pay  its  debts  after  the  pattern  of  animals  feeding  greedily 
under  an  oak  on  the  acorns  that  fall  abundantly  from  it, 
and  never  thinking  of  looking  up  to  admire  the  origin 
of  the  gifts. — So  few  are  there  among  them  who  really 
give  thanks. 

P.  Segneri,  S.F. 

All  that  Thou  takest  from  me  I give  Thee ; and  all  that 
I have  not  given  Thee  I owe  Thee. 

Madame  Swetchine, 


26 


Tuesday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent. 

What  is  trial?  A rendezvous  which  God  appoints  to 
His  creatures  that  He  may  test  their  love.  Trial  alone, 
indeed,  can  provide  the  opportunity  for  the  proof  of 
man’s  free  choice  between  his  own  will  and  the  will  of 
God ; and  the  severer  the  trial  the  better  we  can  show 
our  love  by  our  generosity  in  triumphing  over  it. 

When  God  destines  a soul,  says  the  Apostle,  to  the 
glory  of  the  elect,  He  also  destines  it  to  reflect  the  image 
of  His  only  Son.  How  can  a soul  reflect  that  image  in 
itself?  Through  glory?  Why,  as  to  glory  the  Son  of 
God  was  glorious  on  Thabor,  but  that  glory  lasted  for 
an  hour.  Through  strength?  Hardly,  for  it  is  rare  in- 
deed that  God  predestines  a creature  to  miraculous  deeds. 
Through  holiness,  then?  Yes;  and  what  is  the  most  strik- 
ing element  in  the  holiness  of  the  Son  of  man?  The 
resignation  His  love  evinced  in  His  sufferings.  Ecce 
Homo!  Behold  the  Man!  Look  at  Him  as  Pilate  shows 
Him  to  you,  with  His  reed.  His  crown  of  thorns,  His 
bruised  and  disfigured  face,  dimmed  by  shame.  This  is 
truly  the  Man  of  Sorrows,  with  His  burning  Heart  and 
Hi's  gentle  glance.  Look  well  at  Him,  for  such  is  the  model 
we  must  copy  in  its  grief,  if  we  are  to  reflect  its  rays 
when  we  enjoy  its  vision  in  the  bosom  of  the  Eternal 
glory. 

Pere  Marchal. 

When  God  has  chosen  a soul  which  he  predestines  to 
become  great  He  marks  it  with  His  seal,  and  God’s  seal 
is  a cross. 


Abbe  Mounier, 


27 


Wednesday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent. 


Seek  not  to  penetrate  into  futurity,  neither  encourage 
a habit  of  anticipating  good  or  evil.  Our  trials  do  not 
always  come  from  those  occasions  we  may  have  fore- 
seen— God  frequently  takes  us  by  surprise,  and  some- 
times in  those  objects  on  which  we  most  fondly  rest  our 
hearts  and  in  those  moments  when  we  think  ourselves 
most  secure.  The  evils  which  we  have  imagined  for  our- 
seLves  often  vanish  before  the  eye  of  reason  and  it  is  not 
in  our  own  power  to  choose  where  the  blow  shall  fall. 

Let  then,  the  obedience  of  every  day  be  your  daily 
bread:  live  upon  the  will  of  your  God:  He  provides  for 
you  celestial  manna.  Be  satisfied  with  it;  it  is  not  in 
your  power  to  lay  it  up  in  store,  or  to  say  how  much  of  it 
God  shall  give  you.  All  that  you  have  to  do  is  to  use  it  in 
such  proportions  as  you  receive  it. 

Strive  to  live  your  life  in  peace,  simplicity  and  resig- 
nation. Place  your  hopes  of  happiness  in  God,  and  not 
in  His  creatures,  and  you  will  then  be  secure.  For  on 
Him  you  may  rely  with  full  confidence. 

Fenelon. 


Do  all  things  with  holy  simplicity,  without  regard  to 
anything  but  to  please  God. 


Sciipoli. 


28 


Thursday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent 

Consider  the  mystery  of  the  three  resurrections 
wrought  by  the  Savior  of  mankind,  that  of  the  Ruler's 
daughter,  that  of  the  young  man  of  Naim,  and  that  of 
Lazarus  at  Bethany.  The  young  girl  had  only  just  died, 
and  was  not  prepared  for  burial:  she  typifies  the  sinner 
who  has  fallen,  but  has  not  yet  contracted  the  habit  of 
sin  and  the  indifiference  consequent  upon  it.  The  young 
man  is  the  sinner  who  has  made  no  effort  to  rise  after 
his  fall,  and  whose  will  has  lost  its  spring;  they  are  car- 
rying him  to  the  grave  and  if  he  did  not  meet  our  Lord 
on  the  way  he  would  be  laid  among  those  who  can  never 
return.  Lazarus  is  a still  more  terrible  figure.  He  is 
already  given  over  to  corruption.  A stone  rolled  over 
the  tomb  has  condemned  his  body  to  a slow  and  inevitable 
decay.  Is  it  possible  for  him  to  revive?  Yes;  if  Jesus 
deigns  to  make  him  an  object  of  His  divine  power. 

In  these  days  the  Church  prays  and  fasts,  and  we  with 
her,  that  these  three  forms  of  death  may  hear  the 
voice  of  the  Son  of  God  and  arise.  The  mystery  of 
Christ’s  resurrection  is  about  to  produce  its  wondrous 
result  in  each  of  these  degrees.  Let  us  unite  ourselves 
to  this  design  of  the  divine  mercy,  praying  urgently  night 
and  day  to  the  Redeemer.  Then  when  a few  days  hence 
we  see  the  dead  restored  to  life,  then  shall  we  cry  with 
the  inhabitants  of  Naim:  ‘‘A  great  prophet  has  arisen 
among  us ; God  has  visited  His  people.” 

Dom.  Genranger, 

A true  conversion  finds  God  always  ready  for  it. 

St,  Augustine, 


29 


Friday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent. 

Consider  the  marvel  of  Jesus'  Heart  as  corresponding 
to  an  infirmity  in  the  heart  of  man.  Just  because  we 
love  little  we  love  few  people;  we  shut  ourselves  up  to 
love,  we  build  ourselves  a little  nest  wherein  we  place 
the  beings  most  dear  to  us — a father,  a mother,  a wife, 
children,  a few  friends.  What  can  we  do?  We  have  only 
a drop  of  love;  we  husband  it,  expending  it  on  a few, 
for  even  while  we  give  these  few  all  we  have,  we  are  not 
sure  of  having  given  them  enough. 

How  different  the  Heart  of  Jesus!  He  loves  all  men 
and  all  with  the  same  zeal.  Small  and  great,  rich  and 
poor,  the  just  and  the  sinner,  the  waifs  and  strays  of 
the  world.  Is  there  any  one  He  forgets  ? Whom  has  He 
not  loved,  tenderly,  ardently?  What  being  has  ever  been 
found  too  foul  for  this  most  pure  Heart,  too  common 
for  this  most  noble  Heart,  too  haughty  for  this  humble 
Heart,  too  small  for  this  sublime  Heart?  It  seems  even 
as  if  immensity  did  not  suffice  Him,  and  in  His  prayers. 
His  words,  one  surprises  bursts  of  affection  in  which 
He  embraces  all  created  beings  and  even  worlds  unknown 
to  us. 

Mgr.  Bougaud. 

What  shall  I give  back  to  the  Lord  for  all  that  He 
has  given  to  me? 


Psalm  cxv. 


30 


Saturday  after  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent. 


. Love  for  our  neighbor  must  be  disinterested  and  gen- 
erous, but  it  must  be  pure,  not  the  indulgence — even  at 
some  cost  of  physical  effort — of  mere  good  nature,  or, 
what  it  is  a tendency,  if  not  a fault  of  the  present  gen- 
eration to  make  it,  an  outlet  of  energy,  an  object  of  busi- 
ness. Love  for  our  neighbor  must  not  be  rash,  but  sage 
and  discreet.  We  must  render  him  the  services  due  to 
him  from  us ; help  to  instruct  ignorant  brethren,  to  cor- 
rect them,  or  soothe  them  in  spiritual  or  corporal  need. 
But  we  must  not  injure  our  own  eternal  interests  by 
love  to  our  neighbor.  An  Ancient  philosopher  was  once 
asked  by  a neighbor  to  do  him  some  kindness  at  the 
expense  of  his  honour,  and  on  his  refusal  was  asked 
sharply,  ‘‘What  is  the  good  of  your  being  my  friend, 
if  your  friendship  is  useless  to  me?”  To  which  the  phil- 
osopher answered  wisely,  “What  good  is  yours  to  me,  if 
it  does  me  harm?”  Our  test  should  be  a similar  one, 
and  none  of  us  have  any  right  to  go  beyond  the  line  thus 
marked. 

Abbee  Puyol. 


Though  thou  art  bound  to  set  a good  example,  thou 
must  never  do  it  solely  with  this  view ; else  thou  wilt  lose 
all  benefit  to  thyself. 


Scupoli. 


31 


The  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent 

O dear  brethren,  anticipate  the  day  of  Judgment.  Be 
beforehand  with  it.  That  day  is  coming  as  the  rising  of 
tomorrow's  sun.  The  day  is  not  far  off  when  the  Great 
White  Throne  will  be  set  up,  and  we  shall  stand  before 
Him ; and  the  eyes  that  are  as  a flame  of  fire,  will  search 
us  through  and  through ; and  not  His  eyes  alone,  but  the 
eyes  of  all  men  will  be  upon  us ! and  the  ears  of  men  will 
hear  that  which  the  accuser  will  say  against  us  in  that 
day.  There  will  be  no  secrecy  there;  no  hiding  of  our 
sins,  nothing  concealed  from  God,  or  from  that  multitude 
which  is  around  the  Great  White  Throne.  What  does  He 
require  of  you  now?  The  Great  White  Throne  is  veiled 
in  His  mercy.  In  the  holy  Sacrament  of  Penance  He  sits 
as  the  Judge,  not  arrayed  in  the  splendors  which  will  daz- 
zle and  blind  us  at  the  Last  Day,  but  as  the  Good  Shep- 
herd, and  as  the  Good  Physician,  the  Friend  of  Sinners, 
who  is  come  not  to  call  the  just,  but  sinners,  to  repent- 
ance. There  He  sits  in  His  mercy.  Come  to  Him  then, 
one  by  one.  Be  beforehand  with  the  Diay  of  Judgment. 
That  which  you  confess  now  will  be  blotted  out  and  for- 
given in  that  day.  That  which  you  hide  now  will  be  in 
the  book  of  God’s  remembrance,  laid  up  for  a record  in 
the  day  of  the  great  assize.  It  is  not  much  that  He  re- 
quires of  us — ^to  come  and  tell  it  in  the  ear  of  one  man 
in  His  stead— If  it  be  painful  to  you,  if  shame  cover 
your  face,  offer  up  the  pain  and  the  shame  as  a part  of 
the  penance,  as  Mary  Magdalene  in  the  midst  of  that 
great  banquet.  It  is  precisely  for  this  purpose  that  the 
salutary  pain  may  be  the  medicine  of  our  pride.  Dear 
brethren,  then,  be  beforehand  with  the  Day  of  Judgment, 
while  the  day  of  grace  lasts ; and  come  to  Him  as  you  are. 

Cardinal  Manning. 


32 


Monday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

Blessed  is  the  soul  which  frequently  considereth  the 
last  hour,  when  all  must  be  ended  in,  this  life — joys  or 
sorrows,  honors  and  reproaches.  Happy  the  soul  that  is 
as  a poor  pilgrim  traveling  towards  God — that  despiseth 
all  the  pomp  of  the  world,  however  great  and  enticing. 
For  in  that  last  hour  all  shall  perish — cities,  castles,  vil- 
lages, vessels  of  gold  and  silver,  all  dainty  meats  and 
flowers,  cups  of  smelling  wine.  Then  shall  be  dumb  the 
lyre,  trumpet,  pipe  and  harp.  Then  shall  be  no  more 
sport  nor  mirth,  no  more  dance  nor  loud  applause,  no 
more  songs  nor  merry  laughter,  no  more  the  sound  of 
revelry  in  street  or  bower — for  the  hearts  of  all  living 
shall  fail,  and  the  whole  earth  shall  tremble  at  the  pres- 
ence of  God.  O how  wise  is  he  that  daily  considereth 
these  things ! Blessed  is  he  that  of  his  own  desire  keep- 
eth  himself  away  from  the  many  snares  and  dangers  of 
the  world.  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth  day  and  night 
against  temptation ; for  so  long  as  the  soul  is  united  to  the 
body,  and  the  body  is  nourished  with  the  fruit  of  the 
earth,  man  cannot  be  exempt  from  sin  nor  free  from 
temptation,  nor  assured  that  he  may  not  fall. 

There  is  nothing  that  endureth,  nothing  that  abideth 
on  this  earth,  of  which  the  body  of  Adam  and  his  sons 
were  formed.  Then  in  all  thy  works,  whatever  they  may 
be,  wherever  thou  goest,  to  what  place  soever  thou  pro- 
ceedest,  remember  the  end  of  life,  and  the  last  hour, 
which  shall  come  at  a time  thou  thinkest  not. 

Thomas  a Kempis, 

He  who  has  made  you  what  you  are  has  the  right  to 
require  that  you  should  be  wholly  His. 

St.  Augustine. 


33 


Tuesday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

Among  other  things  needful  in  the  spiritual  combat, 
one  is  the  perseverance  with  which  we  must  strive  con- 
tinually to  mortify  our  passions,  which  in  this  life  never 
die,  but  on  the  contrary  like  evil  weeds  shoot  up  every 
hour. 

And  this  is  a battle  from  which,  as  it  ends  only  with 
life,  there  is  no  escape;  and  he  who  fights  not  in  it  is 
of  necessity  either  taken  captive  or  slain.  Besides  we 
have  to  deal  with  enemies  who  bear  us  an  unceasing 
hatred,  so  that  from  them  we  can  never  hope  either  for 
peace  or  a truce,  because  they  slay  those  most  cruelly  who 
strive  most  to  make  friends  of  them. 

Thou  hast  no  cause  however  to  fear  either  their  power 
or  their  number ; for  in  the  battle  none  can  be  a loser  but 
he  who  wills  it ; the  whole  strength  of  our  enemies  is  in 
the  hand  of  the  Captain  for  whose  honor  we  have  to 
fight.  And  not  only  will  He  guard  thee  from  all  treach- 
ery, but  He  will  even  fight  for  thee,  a being  mightier  than 
all  these  enemies.  He  will  give  the  victory  into  thy  hands, 
if  only  thou  wilt  fight  manfully  together  with  Him,  and 
trust  not  in  thyself,  but  in  His  power  and  goodness.  And 
if  the  Lord  give  thee  not  so  speedy  a victory,  be  not  dis- 
heartened, but  be  the  more  assured  that  all  things  which 
shall  befall  thee,  those  even  which  to  thee  may  seem 
furthest  from,  yea  most  opposed  to  thy  victory,  all  will 
He  turn  to  thy  good  and  profit,  if  thou  wilt  but  bear  thy- 
self as  a faithful  and  generous  warrior. 

Scupoli. 

The  soldier's  fidelity  is  proved  in  battle,  and  blessed  is 
he  who  is  faithful  in  adversity. 

St.  Alphonsus  Liguori. 


34 


Wednesday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

Do  not  scrutinize  too  closely  whether  you  are  doing 
much  or  little,  ill  or  well,  so  long  as  what  you  do  is  not 
sinful  and  that  you  are  heartily  seeking  to  do  everything 
for  God.  Try,  as  far  as  you  can  to  do  everything  well,  but 
when  it  is  done  do  not  think  about  it ; try  rather  to  think 
of  what  is  to  be  done  next.  Go  on  simply  in  the  Lord’s 
way  and  do  not  torment  yourself.  We  ought  to  hate  our 
faults,  but  with  a calm  hatred,  not  pettishly  nor  anxious- 
ly. We  must  learn  to  look  patiently  at  them,  and  win 
through  them  the  grace  of  self-abnegation  and  humility. 
For  want  of  this,  and  through  looking  at  your  imper- 
fections in  an  unreal  way  they  do  but  increase  upon  you. 
Niothing  so  causes  our  tares  to  thrive  as  disquietude  and 
impetuousity  in  striving  to  uproot  them.  There  is  a 
great  temptation  to  be  disgusted  at  the  world,  when  we 
are  constrained  to  dwell  in  it ; but  God’s  providence  is 
wiser  than  we  are.  We  fancy  that  if  we  changed  our- 
portion  we  should  be  better;  possibly— if  we  changed  our- 
selves. But  I am  a steadfast  foe  to  all  such  useless,  dan- 
gerous, evil  desires ; even  when  what  we  wish  for  is 
good  in  itself,  the  desire  is  evil ; since  God  denies  us 
that  particular  good  thing,  and  chooses  rather  to  prove 
us  in  some  other  way.  He  wills  to  speak  to  us  as  to 
Moses  from  a burning  bush,  and  we  would  fain  hear  Him 
in  a still  small  voice  as  when  He^  spoke  to  the  Prophet 
Elias. 

St.  Francis  de  Sales. 

Blessed  are  they  that  follow  in  all  things  the  will  of 
God. 


Thomas  d Kempis. 


35  ^ 


Thursday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent 

There  is  a well  known  phrase  of  St.  Augustine’s,  '‘God 
does  not  command  what  is  impossible  except  as  com- 
manding us  to  do  all  that  we  can  towards  it  and  to  ask 
that  He  will  do,  in  our  aid,  the  share  of  it  that  we  can- 
not do.'’  Ah,  if  you  should  have  to  work,  to  strive,  to 
suffer,  to  die,  even  to  die  upon  a cross  if  God  wills  it, 
do  not  for  a moment  doubt  that  the  power  lies  for  you 
already  in  His  hand,  if  he  has  not  already  placed  it  in 
yours — the  grace  to  die,  to  suffer,  to  strive,  to  conquer. 

But  I do  not  stop  at  asking  you  to  expect  only  what 
is  indispensable,  from  God.  Have  you  ever  found  God 
stopping  short  at  what  is  absolutely  necessary?  He  cer- 
tainly might  do  so,  and  if  He  did  would  still  do  what  is 
just,  holy  and  adorable.  But  does  He  ever?  Has  He 
ever  done  it  with  you?  Ah,  if  ever  He  has,  I will  tell 
you  when  it  was — in  the  day  and  hour  when  your  trust 
in  Him  failed.  E>avid  dares  to  say,  “With  the  perverse 
Thou  wilt  be  perverse;”  that  is,  towards  him  who  comes 
to  Thee  crookedly  Thou  wilt  advance  crookedly.  How 
much  the  more  then  might  one  say,  “with  him  who  shuts 
his  heart  up  from  Thee,  Thy  heart  will  be  shut  up”  and 
that  every  distrustful  heart  closes  God's  hand.  Expect 
then,  unwaveringly,  from  God  an  abundance  of  grace. 

Mgr.  Gay. 

In  union  with  the  perfect  confidence  and  hope  that  the 
holy  and  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  placed  in  Thee,  do  I hope, 
O Lord. 


St.  Pius  V. 


36 


Friday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

''My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world/'  Jesus  Christ  does 
not  deny  that  He  is  king  of  the  world,  but  only  that  He 
reigns  in  it  with  the  splendor  and  pomp  of  its  visible 
princes.  How  then  does  He  reign  in  it?  By  poverty, 
contempt,  obedience,  lowliness,  by  the  cross;  it  is  thus 
that  He  has  brought  the  empire  to  His  feet.  Let  me  not, 
my  Savior,  be  behindhand  in  recognizing  my  king,  how- 
ever common,  however  displeasing  to  my  taste,  may  be 
the  externals  of  Thy  royalty.  I am  content  with  Thy 
surroundings  as  much  for  love  of  Thee  as  for  the  sake 
of  imitating  Thee;  no  one  can  lower  himself  by  growing 
more  like  Thee. 

"Thou  art  then  a king?"  Pilate  asks  again;  and,  "I 
am  what  thou  sayest,"  Jesus  replies.  This  is  the  same 
answer  as  before,  for  faith  and  truth  cannot  contradict 
themselves,  I believe,  again,  O Lord,  that  Thou  art  the 
king  of  my  soul,  I confess  Thee  and  adore;  I will  ever 
cry  "Thou  art  King,  my  Savior  and  my  God."  I will 
appeal  to  Thy  rights  over  me  when  passion  claims  me 
as  a captive  in  defiance  of  my  allegiance,  sworn  to  Thee. 
Am  I not  in  the  world  just  to  bear  this  testimony?  I 
will  be  faithful,  strengthen  this  resolution  in  me, ‘formed 
as  it  is  under  the  inspiration  of  Thy  grace ! 

Pere  Arancin,  SJ. 

O Lord  Jesus  Christ,  I adore  Thee  hanging  on  the 
cross.  Thy  head  crowned  with  thorns ! Thou  art  the  King 
of  Glory,  O Christ! 


St.  Gregory. 


37 


Saturday  after  the  Fourth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

St.  Ignatius  recommends  us  to  dwell  sometimes  when 
we  contemplate,  on  this  thought,  “This  is  all  for  me.''  We 
must  try  to  believe  more  and  more  firmly  this  great  truth 
which  arms  us  well  against  all  hopeless  thoughts  or  en- 
kindles the  fire  of  love.  All  this  contrition  is  for  me  and 
for  my  sins.  How  far  short,  then,  my  contrition  is  of 
what  it  should  be!  Blessed  Mother  of  Sorrows,  pray 
for  me  now  and  at  the  hour  of  my  death,  that  I may  see 
clearly,  while  I look  on  the  agony  of  thy  Son,  the  truth 
of  that  word : “Know  then  and  see  that  it  was  an  evil 
and  a bitter  thing  for  thee  to  have  left  the  Lord  thy  God." 
(Jerem.  ii.)  Alas,  I knew  not  what  I was  doing.  I knew 
not  how  evil  and  bitter  a thing  it  was.  I "sinned  and  said : 
“What  harm  hath  befallen  me?"  I sinned,  and  how 
little  have  I as  yet  realized  the  force  of  those  words  far 
more  applicable  to  me  than  to  the  Jews:  “Is  this  the 
return  that  you  makest  to  the  Lord,  O foolish  and  sense-  . 
less  people?  Is  not  He  thy  Father  that  hath  possessed 
thee,  and  made  thee,  and  created  thee?"  (Deut.  xxxii.) 

“According  to  the  multitude  of  thy  tender  mercies,  O 
Lord,  blot  out  my  sins.  For  I will  declare  my  iniquity 
and  I will  think  for  my  sins."  (Psalm  xxxvii.) 

All  this  contrition  is  for  me,  to  be  added  to  mine. 
Therefore,  when  I go  to  the  sacred  tribunal,  I have  some- 
thing better  to  rely  upon  than  my  own  feeble  act  of  con- 
trition. Jesus  Christ,  my  surety,  my  Savior,  is  uniting 
all  His  great  contrition  with  my  most  insufficient  sorrow. 

Father  Gallwey,  SJ. 


38 


The  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

The  Prophet  Elias,  persecuted  by  impious  Jezabel,  re- 
treats into  the  desert,  and  having  made  a day’s  journey 
in  it  sinks  at  the  foot  of  a tree  with  the  prayer:  'Tt  is 
enough ; let  me  die.’’  An  angel  descending  from  heaven, 
touching  the  prophet,  said:  '‘Rise  and  eat,  for  a long 
journey  is  before  you.”  Rising,  he  ate  the  food  brought 
him  by  the  angel,  and  in  its  strength  journeyed  forty 
days  and  forty  nights  until  he  reached  the  Mount  of  God. 

The  Prophet  Elias  is  the  Christian  soul  traveling 
through  the  desert  of  life.  Often  wearied  by  the  weight 
of  existence  the  exile  casts  himself  down  despondently  in 
the  shadow  of  the  first  rock  he  meets,  and  cries,  “Lord, 
I have  lived  long  enough,  release  me  from  this  world ; the 
source  of  life  and  strength  is  withered  within  me.”  Soul 
of  little  faith!  Lift  your  eyes,  and  see  the  Angel  who  is 
at  your  side.  He  holds  in  his  hand  food  prepared  in 
heaven.  Take  this  strengthening  manna  and  you  will  rise 
in  full  strength  for  the  journey  that  lies  before  you.  Take 
this  Bread.  It  is  Jesus  Christ,  and  “Christ  is  life,  and 
life  is  bread,”  as  Tertullian  says.  {De  orat.) 

How  many  weak  souls  drag  themselves  wearily  through 
the  shades  of  mortal  languor,  because,  though  they  have 
known  the  gift  of  God,  they  have  forgotten  to  eat  their 
bread,  and  their  soul  is  enervated  like  the  body  of  a man 
who  for  a long  time  has  eaten  no  food. 

Mgr.  Landriot. 


39 


Monday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent 

Meditate  for  a short  space  on  God’s  love  as  shown  in 
the  example  Christ  Himself  gives  us  of  the  prodigal  Son. 
He  takes  his  whole  fortune,  leaves  his  home,  gives  him- 
self up  to  dissolute  life,  squandering  his  money,  and, 
when  reduced  to  beggary,  sinks  to  the  level  of  a swine- 
herd. Roused  to  reflection  by  his  misery,  he  resolves  to 
return  home,  and  his  father  on  seeing  this  wreck  of 
humanity  at  once  recognizes  him,  acknowledges  him  as 
his  son,  weeps  over  him,  loving  him  as  before,  and  re- 
stores him  to  his  old  costume  and  position.  He  is  well 
dressed,  feasted  with  delicacies,  music  soothes  him, 
friends  are  invited  to  meet  him,  for  ''I  have  got  my  son 
back  again,”  says  the  loving  father;  ^'the  one  who  was 
lost.” 

This  is  no  graceful  parable  but  a truth ; it  is  thus  a 
sinner  really  is,  with  regard  to  God  his  Father.  Rouse 
yourself  therefore,  you  who  are  grovelling  in  self-indul- 
gence ; what  are  you  doing  ? This  is  not  a hard  saying, 
but  a merciful  one.  The  way  will  be  hard  during  the 
return  journey  to  God,  but  what  will  be  your  reception? 
Love.  And  that,  a love  that  gives  you  all  its  best. 

St.  Alphonsus  Liguori. 

Do  not  let  us  be  ashamed  of  flight,  for  flight  from  the 
world  is  not  a disgrace,  but  an  honor. 


St.  Ambrose. 


40 


Tuesday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

It  is  a wise  rule  of  life  to  work  every  day,  within 
reasonable  restrictions,  towards  limiting  eternal  needs. 
‘^To  need  nothing,’’  Socrates  said,  ''is  an  attribute  of 
divinity,  to  have  need  of  little  is  an  approach  towards 
divine  perfection.”  Thus  the  heathen  sage.  How  many 
things  we  might  do  without!  The  needs  that  we  create, 
that  we  do  not  know  where  to  check,  that,  on  the  con- 
trary we  go  on  adding  to  indefinitely — all  these  become 
a legion  of  petty  tyrants  that  form  up  and  surround  us. 
Let  us  be  on  our  guard,  for  thus  we  are  watched  from 
every  point. 

We  claim  to  be  rich;  we  are  mistaken,  we  are  poor, 
very  poor,  indeed,  for  the  needs  that  we  go  on  multiply- 
ing are  a crowd  of  beggars  that  assault  our  home;  each 
addition  is  a fresh  charge  upon  us.  We  grow  poorer 
as  we  add  to  our  wants,  for  each  fresh  need,  each  desire 
for  some  new  thing,  increases  the  mob  of  supplicants.  In 
appearance  we  may  seem  richer,  but  in  fact  we  are  tend- 
ing towards  absolute  beggary,  for  we  in  our  turn  come 
to  be  always  asking — asking  that  we  may  supply  the 
needs  that  have  become  our  masters. 

Mgr.  Landriot. 


The  rich  differ  in  nothing  from  beggars,  but  in  being 
more  miserable,  for  beggars  have  need  of  little,  and  the 
rich  of  much. 


Seneca. 


41 


Wednesday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent. 


There  is  a danger  of  forming  a false  idea  of  holiness. 
To  hear  some  people  talk  one  would  suppose  it  necessary 
to  leave  everything,  to  throw  away  all,  to  bury  oneself 
in  a desert  and  there  devote  oneself  entirely  to  prayer 
and  mortification.  People  then  reply,  that  is  impossible, 
so  holiness  must  be  left  to  the  saints ; and  then  betake 
themselves  to  a myriad  of  faults,  sins,  infidelities  towards 
God.  That  is  to  say,  under  the  excuse  of  not  being  able 
to  become  saints,  they  make  themselves  quite  easy  about 
their  state,  and  slip  on  swiftly  to  their  own  condemnation. 

This  is  an  error,  invented  by  the  spirit  of  lies,  accepted 
by  the  world,  favored  by  the  passions,  which  ask  no  bet- 
ter than  to  find  a plausible  pretext  for  satisfying  the  con- 
science. This  is  not  sanctity.  Sanctity  consists  in  the 
accomplishment  of  the  duties  God  lays  upon  us.  In  this 
way  one  who  fulfills  well  the  duties  of  his  station,  and, 
much  more  one  who  fulfills  them  well  for  God,  will  be- 
come a real  saint — nothing  more  is  needed. 

Pere  Cestac. 


The  secret  of  being  always  with  God  and  of  Assuring 
His  continual  presence  in  our  hearts  is  constant  prayer. 

St.  Isidore. 


42 


Thursday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

'Xearn  of  Me,  because  I am  meek  and  humble  of 
heart,”  St.  Bernards  remarks,  ''What  pride  is  there  which 
the  humility  of  the  divine  Master  cannot  extinguish? 
Verily,  it  may  be  said  that  He  alone  in  reality  humbles 
and  abases  Himself,  and  that  we,  when  we  seem  to  hu- 
miliate ourselves,' do  not  lower  ourselves  at  all,  but  simply 
take  the  place  which  belongs  to  us.  For,  being  all  crea- 
tures, guilty  perhaps  of  a thousand  misdeeds,  we  can  lay 
claim  to  no  other  right  than  nothingness  and  punish- 
ment. But  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ  lowered  Himself 
infinitely  beneath  that  lofty  height  which  belongs  to  Him. 

He  is  the  omnipotent  God,  the  Infinite  and  Immortal, 
the  supreme  Arbiter  of  all  things.  And  notwithstanding 
this,  He  became  man,  weak,  mortal,  subject  to  suffering, 
obedient  even  to  death.  He  bore  the  lack  of  all  temporal 
things.  He,  who  in  heaven,  constituted  the  joy  of  the 
angels  and  of  the  saints,  willed  to  become  the  Man  of 
Sorrows  and  took  upon  Himself  each  and  all  of  the  mis- 
eries of  humanity. 

The  uncreated  Wisdom,  and  of  all  wisdom  the  Prin- 
ciple, has  borne  the  shame  and  mockery  due  to  a fool. 
The  Holy  of  Holies,  and  Sanctity  in  ^sence,  suffered 
Himself  to  be  reputed  a villain  and  a malefactor.  He 
whom  the  countless  hosts  of  the  blessed  in  heaven  adore, 
willed  to  die  a disgraceful  death  upon  a cross.  And  lastly, 
He  who  by  nature  is  the  Sovereign  Good,  endured  every 
kind  of  human  misery. 

Then,  after  such  an  example  of  humility  what  ought  we 
not  to  do — we  who  are  dust  and  ashes  ? And  what  humili- 
ation should  ever  appear  hard  to  us,  who  are  not  only 
worms  of  earth  but  miserable  sinners?  Pope  Leo  XIII. 


43 


Friday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

Devotion  and  prayers  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  are  admir- 
able and  useful  under  every  invocation  and  in  whatever 
manner  they  are  made,  but  I venture  to  assert  that  the 
most  profitable  form,  as  well  as  the  one  that  redounds 
most  to  our  credit,  is  that  in  which  we  appeal  to  her  as 
Our  Lady  of  Dolours.  She  stood  immersed  in  sorrows 
at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  gave 
us  all  to  her  in  the  person  of  the  beloved  disciple,  to  re- 
place her  dying  Son,  and  He  destined  His  most  holy 
Mother  to  become  ours.  Hence,  whenever  we  betake  our- 
selves to  Mary  under  her  title  of  sorrow,  we  go  to  our 
mother;  and  go  as  children,  as  designed  by  her  divine 
Son.  What  can  be  more  glorious  for  us  than  that  the 
Queen  of  Heaven  and  Earth  has,  under  her  title  of 
Mother  of  Sorrows,  also  become  our  mother?  This  is 
certainly  a glory  that  the  Angels  would  envy  us,  if  they 
were  capable  of  envy,  since  the  Blessed  Virgin  is  their 
Queen,  but  not  their  Mother.  And  what  can  be  more 
profitable  to  us  than  that  the  dispenser  of  grace  and  divine 
benefits  recognizes  us  in  our  sorrow  as  her  children, 
recommended  to  her  by  the  same  Jesus  before  He  died? 
How  must  those  loving  words  ever  echo  in  her  heart? 
How  dear  to  her  must  be  their  memory,  and  what  special 
acceptance  she  must  grant  to  our  prayers  when  we  ap- 
proach her  under  this  appellation.  Happy  are  we,  if,  each 
time  we  invoke  Our  Lady  of  Dolours,  we  do  it  with  a 
pure  heart  and  a devout  remembrance  of  so  great  a love ; 
happier  still,  if,  after  we  have  enjoyed  her  love  through 
life,  she  shall  at  its  close  show  us  the  fruit  of  her  womb, 
Jesus,  acknowledging  us,  in  His  place,  as  the  children  of 
His  most  glorious  Mother. 


Marchese  di  Tito. 


44 


Saturday  after  the  Fifth  Sunday  in  Lent, 

When,  as  often  happens  in  this  life,  you  see  deeds  done, 
words  become  law,  in  defiance  of  right,  do  not  be  scan- 
dalized nor  doubt  the  power  of  God’s  Sovereign  Will. 
Full  of  consideration  for  our  liberty  He  permits  revolts 
because  He  wills  only  to  receive  genuine  obedience;  but 
all  the  time  that  prescriptive  right  is  reserved  and  will 
rceive  full  recognition  when  the  time  of  justice  has  come. 
Then  will  Jesus  hold  His  court  of  assize,  the  insurgents 
summoned  before  Him  will  realize  from  the  weight  of 
His  sentence  that  not  for  a moment  did  He  cease  to  be 
their  ruler.  Bent  beneath  the  burden  of  His  judgment 
they  will  say  a despairing  farewell  to  the  Kingdom  of 
His  Glory  and  retreat  to  the  realm  of  woe.  Alas ! for 
these  eternal  exiles  for  whom  is  no  reprieve. 

But  Christian  souls  convinced  of  the  sovereign  rights 
of  their  Lord,  recognize  both  the  sweetness  and  the  honor 
of  obeying  him.  The  grievous  spectacle  of  agitation  that 
alike  dishonors  and  disintegrates  society,  when  human 
will  claims  to  rule  without  any  superior  law  to  direct  or 
restrain  it,  shows  them  clearly  how  necessary  is  Christ’s 
government  to  the  existence  of  order  and  of  peace.  It 
is  for  that  object  I implore  you  to  work,  by  prayer,  by 
words,  by  example,  by  influence.  You  may  not  see  the 
triumph  on  earth  of  your  divine  monarch,  but  it  is  certain 
you  will  see  and  enjoy  in  heaven  the  kingdom  of  His 
glory. 

Fere  Monsabre, 

It  is  very  important  that  we  should  help  each  other 
by  prayers. 


St,  Teresa. 


45 


The  Sixth  Sunday  in  Lent. 

'‘The  master  hath  need  of  them/’  Observe  the  poverty 
of  our  Blessed  Savior.  In  His  days  of  modest  triumph 
He  has  nothing  but  what  men  choose  to  lend,  or  to  give 
Him.  And  now  in  our  days  He  is  quite  as  poor  as  then. 
Here  on  earth  man  is  rich.  God  is  poor.  "The  Heaven 
of  Heavens  is  the  Lord’s,  but  the  earth  He  has  given 
to  the  children  of  men.” 

It  is  as  when  a good  father  makes  over  a property  to 
his  eldest  son.  He  has  given  it,  and  will  not  take  it  back. 
"The  Lord  has  sworn  and  will  not  repent.”  Therefore 
in  this  world  man  is  master,  and  our  Lord  is  poor  and 
quite  dependent.  If  He  wants  bread  for  His  poor  He 
comes  for  it.  If  He  wants  instruction  for  His  little  ones 
He  comes  to  us.  Even  when  He  wants  to  offer  the  Ever- 
lasting Sacrifice,  He  cannot  do  it  till  we  give  Him  the 
juice  of  the  grape,  and  the  wheaten  bread,  "and  provide 
an  altar,  and  the  priest,  and  the  vestments.”  If  He  wants 
to  soothe  the  soul  of  the  dying.  He  cannot  carry  out  His 
loving  wish  till  we  give  Him  as  an  alms  the  oil  of  peace 
and  gladness. 

O how  humble  of  heart  our  Blessed  Lord  is  when  He 
stoops  so  low  as  to  tell  me  that  He  has  need  of  me!  We 
often  say,  "I  do  not  choose  to  be  under  obligation  to  this 
man.”  Our  Lord  and  our  God  wishes  most  ardently  to 
be  under  obligation  to  each  of  us,  that  thus  He  may  have 
a plea  for  pouring  out  all  His  riches  on  us  throughout 
eternity. 


Fr.  Gallwey,  SJ. 


46 


Monday  in  Holy  Week. 

The  bond  of  our  union  with  God  is  the  love  of  God 
above  all  things.  ‘‘He  that  dwells  in  charity  dwells  in 
God  and  'God  in  him”  Here  is  the  link  of  gold  which 
joins  the  soul  of  God.  Keep  that  link  fast,  and  do  not 
be  afraid  when  the  consciousness  of  your  past  sins  and  of 
your  many  temptations  seem  to  come  down  upon  you 
and  overwhelm  you  as  a flood.  In  those  darkest  times, 
be  sure  that  if  you  love  God  you  are  still  united  with  Him. 
It  is  not  when  we  walk  in  the  brightness  of  the  noon- 
day only,  that  we  are  united  with  Him.  The  purest  union 
with  God  is  when  we  walk  with  Him  in  the  darkness, 
without  consolation  and  without  joy,  having  no  other 
guide ; our  hand  in  His  hand ; going  on  like  children,  not 
knowing  whither,  but  obeying  the  inspirations  of  God 
to  do  or  not  to  do  as  He  wills : out  in  the  bleak  cold  sky, 
with  no  joy  in  our  prayers  and  no  rest  of  heart,  in  con- 
stant inward  fears,  with  temptations  all  around  but  al- 
ways faithful  to  the  guidance  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  “Who- 
soever are  led  by  the  Spirit  of  God  are  the  sons  of  God” 

There  are  two  axioms  in  the  kingdom  of  God  which 
never  fail ; no  penitent  soul  can  perish,  and  no  soul  that 
loves  God  can  be  lost. 

Cardinal  Manning 

Never  depart  from  Jesus  on  earth  if  thou  wouldst  live 
and  rejoice  with  Jesus  in  heaven. 


Thomas  d Kempis. 


47 


Tuesday  in  Holy  Week. 

We  too  often  forget  that  maxim  of  the  Saints  which 
warns  us  to  consider  ourselves  as  each  day  recommencing 
our  progress  towards  perfection.  If  we  consider  it  fre- 
quently we  shall  not  be  surprised  at  the  poverty  of  our 
spirit,  nor  how  much  we  have  to  refuse  ourselves.  The 
work  is  never  finished,  we  have  continually  to  begin  again 
and  that  courageously.  What  we  have  done  so  far  is 
good,  but  what  we  are  going  to  commence  will  be  better, 
and  when  we  have  finished  that,  we  shall  begin  some- 
thing else  that  will  be  better  still,  and  then  another — 
until  we  leave  this  world  to  begin  a new  life  that  will 
have  no  end  because  it  is  the  best  that  can  happen  to  us. 

• It  is  not  then  a case  for  tears  that  we  have  so  much 
work  to  do  for  our  souls,  for  we  need  great  courage  to  go 
ever  onwards  (since  we  must  never  stop),  and  much 
resolution  to  restrain  our  desires.  Observe  carefully  this 
precept  that  all  the  Saints  have  given  to  those  who  would 
emulate  them:  to  speak  little,  or  not  at  all,  of  yourself 
and  your  own  interests. 

St,  Francis  de  Sales, 


You  will  only  love  God  in  proportion  as  you  learn  to 
suffer  silently  and  to  prefer  Him  to  every  created  thing. 

B,  Margaret  Mary, 


48 


Wednesday  in  Holy  Week. 

Admire  the  silence  with  which  Christ  suffers  His  many 
injuries.  Who  would  not  have  supposed  that  Divine 
Justice  would  have  armed  every  spectator  to  revenge 
such  terrible  treatment?  Or  that,  at  least,  Jesus  would 
have  defended  His  innocence  with  His  own  sublime  elo- 
quence? It  is  otherwise:  “J^^us  was  silent.’’  Ah,  me 
— the  innocent  Jesus  is  accused  of  so  many  crimes,  be- 
fore so  many  judges,  in  the  sight  of  so  many  people;  an 
ill-report  is  His,  dangers  surround  Him,  thorns,  nails, 
the  cross,  await  Him — and  He  is  altogether  silent.  ‘‘J^^us 
was  silent.”  He  would  supply  for  your  pride  by  His 
shame,  and  so  He  is  silent.  ‘‘But  He  held  His  tongue.” 

Learn  to  hate  your  impatient  volubility,  when  you  have* 
to  suffer  anything  similar.  ‘"Come  hither  my  Jesus  and 
teach  me  silence.”  Compare  your  innocence  with  His, 
the  accusations  you  incur  with  those  of  Jesus,  the  rea- 
sons for  self  defence  you  think  you  have  with  those  of 
your  Master.  Set  the  sentence  you  have  to  fear  side  by 
side  with  that  He  incurred.  “He  was  silent.”  And  you  ? 
You  can  only  blush  for  your  querulous  loquacity. 

Belle  do. 


In  times  of  agitation,  be  silent;  when  your  spirit  is 
calm  speak. 


Pere  Cestac. 


49 


Maundy  Thursday. 

Our  Lord’s  temptation  in  the  desert  is  typical  of  our 
assault  by  worldly  desires,  but  the  Son  of  God  deigned 
also  to  experience  the  subtle  temptations  that  attack  the 
higher  intelligences.  There  are  souls  above  the  assault 
of  carnal  vices,  souls  that  pass  by,  untouched,  the  vain 
fancies  and  ambitions  of  their  generation,  and  whose 
merit  in  disdaining  the  world’s  deceit  and  injustice  is 
slight;  and  yet  these  include  with  their  greatness  much 
that  is  pitiful  and  small.  Such  combatants  as  Satan  can- 
not overcome  by  pleasure  or  the  pride  of  life,  he  thinks  to 
subdue  by  fear,  or  even  by  ennui. 

Lord,  I am  sick  of  this  dreary  life.  I do  not  ask  for 
excitement  or  delight,  but  to  have  ever  in  front  an  un- 
diminishing load  of  duty — I cannot  bear  it.  Is  there  no 
relief?  Day  and  night  the  thought  of  sacrifice  is  with 
me;  it  haunts  my  sleep,  my  waking  hours  are  like  a 
frightful  dream.  My  heart  is  weary  of  the  unchanging 
prospect.  Fain  would  I be  Thine,  be  with  Thee,  but  con- 
form, I pray  Thee,  the  requirements  of  Thy  law  to  my 
weakness.  Such  is  the  temptation. 

Jesus,  loving  Lord,  teach  me  to  be  faithful  to  my  God. 
Thou  too  hast  been  overcome.  Thou  hast  sweated  blood. 
Thy  soul  has  been  sorrowful,  even  to  death.  Thy  grief  has 
been  like  a flood — Ah  Jesus,  Thou  dost  not  answer ! Temp- 
tation oppresses  Thee  and  Thou  prayest.  Since  then 
Thy  lips  do  not  reply  to  me,  I too  will  pray. 

P^re  Chassay, 


50 


Good  Friday. 

Sacrifice  is  one  of  life’s  great  laws,  both  in  the  material 
and  in  the  moral  order ; it  is  indeed  a universal  law.  What 
can  be  achieved  without  sacrifice?  The  value  of  a thing 
is  in  proportion  to  the  labor  it  has  cost.  The  greater  the 
object  sought,  the  grander  the  renunciation  in  its  attain- 
ment. Every  state  of  life,  every  position,  has  its  sacri- 
fices, a truth  commonly  referr^  to  as  ‘'the  reverse  of 
the  medal.”  And  it  is  remarkable  that  we  only  really 
esteem  and  admire  what  represents  difficulties  overcome, 
and  seek  out  such  results  only,  to  serve  as  the  setting  of 
our  treasures.  The  works  and  the  monuments  that  na- 
tions count  as  their  greatest  ornaments,  have  cost  the 
architect,  the  student,  the  composer,  untold  labor.  What 
application  they  represent,  what  efforts  of  thought  and 
will,  what  sleepless  nights,  what  depression  and  discour- 
agement overcome!  And  these  sacrifices  were  made  for 
the  passing  shadow  of  glory.  We  work  so  willingly  for 
temporal  gains ! 

The  sacrifice  of  ourselves  given  to  God  renders  us  holy 
to  ourselves.  A life  of  sacrifice  is  a life  drawn  from  a 
divine  fountain,  from  the  Life  of  Sacrifice  Christ  lived 
on  earth,  whence  was  drawn  the  salvation  of  the  world. 
The  Son  of  God  became  man  to  suffer  and  to  end  His 
earthly  life  by  the  supreme  Sacrifice  of  the  Cross.  All 
phases  of  sacrifice  are  united  in  His  ''Consumniatum  est!' 
The  sacrifice  is  perfect. 

Comtesse  de  T. 

Jesus  Christ  had  nowhere  to  lay  His  head  on  earth 
except  the  tomb. 


Pascal. 


51 


Saturday  in  Holy  Week. 

The  Gk)spel  in  its  directions  towards  holiness  opens 
out  to  us  the  path  of  humility,  bidding  us  walk  in  it.  ‘T 
say  to  you  that  unless  you  become  as  little  children  you 
shall  not  enter  into  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven.’'  Have  not 
little  children  a mother?  A mother  who  receives  their 
earliest  confidences,  who  follows  their  earliest  intelli- 
gences, who  accepts  their  first  crosses  and  who  is  their 
advocate  when  they  are  in  disgrace?  This  is  what  Mary 
is  to  the  Christian;  for  every  Christian,  whether  king 
or  slave,  rich  or  poor,  old  or  young,  has  stepped  down 
from  the  throne  of  his  knowledge,  the  pinnacle  of  his 
wealth,  the  strength  of  his  manhood,  to  become  a child. 
Devotion  to  Mary,  which  would  seem  to  promise  only  to 
soften  our  sentiments  and  feelings,  also  raises  them,  and 
in  that  perhaps  includes  all  Christian  teaching.  The  vir- 
tues that  belong  exclusively  to  Mary,  the  silence  and 
gentleness,  in  no  way  exclude  strength  and  energy.  See 
if  there  was  ever  sorrow  like  to  her  sorrow.  Her  Son 
spares  her  nothing  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  neither  His 
agony  nor  his  death,  the  tears  that  accompany  it,  nor 
the  sight  of  His  mangled  and  lifeless  body.  Her  strength 
bears  an  exact  proportion  to  her  weakness.  Jesus  bore 
the  weight  of  the  sins  of  men,  Mary  the  weight  of  their 
sorrows. 

Mme.  Swetchine. 

The  more  entirely  you  give  yourself  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  the  more  she  will  give  herself  to  you.  Your  con- 
fidence will  be  the  measure  of  her  bounty. 

P^re  Cestac. 


Congratulations  and  Blessings  Received 
on  the  Silver  Jubilee  of  the 
International  Catholic  Truth  Society 

Rome,  Italy,  November  Jf,  1924- 

Patrick  Cardinal  Hayes, 

Archbishop  of  New  York. 

Y our  Eminence: 

On  the  occasion  of  the  Silver  Jubilee  of  the 
International  Catholic  Truth  Society  the  Holy 
Father  congratulates  its  officers  and  members 
for  the  splendid  work  in  favor  of  truth.  Wishing 
the  Society  still  greater  success  His  Holiness 
imparts  to  them  all  his  Apostolic  Benediction. 

{Signed) 

Peter  Cardinal  Gasparri. 


Pamphlets  on  Devotional  Subjects 

“How  to  Converse  With  God/’  By  Rev.  M.  Bou- 
tauld,  S.J. 

“Conformity  With  the  Will  of  God.”  By  St. 
Alphonsus  Liguori. 

“The  Heroic  Act  of  Charity.”  By  John  Morris, 
S.J. 

“A  Little  >fanual  for  Hearing  Mass  Spiritually.” 
“Anima  Christi.”  A Paraphrase  in  Prayer. 

The  Spiritual  Exercises  of  St.  Ignatius  Arranged 
in  Prayers. 

“The  Seven  Last  Words.”  By  Rev.  D.  W.  Ma- 
turin. 

“Meditations  on  the  Cross  and  Passion.”  By  St. 

Francis  de  Sales. 

“An  Hour  With  My  Crucifix.” 

“His  Cross.”  By  Mother  St.  Paul. 

“The  Lenten  Gospels.” 

“Stations  of  the  Cross,  for  Israel”,  by  G.  A.  De- 
Jonge,  S.J. 

“A  Short  Way  of  the  Cross,  for  Clergy  and 
Laity,”  by  Rev.  Charles  L.  Cunningham . 
“The  Ceremonies  of  Holy  Week  Explained,”  by 
Very  Rev.  Canon. 

“A  Little  Book  for  Holy  Week.”  By  Richard  P. 
Clarke,  S.J. 

“The  Sacred  Heart.”  By  Richard  P.  Clarke,  S.J. 
“The  Precious  Blood.”  By  Richard  P.  Clarke,  S.J. 


Price  five  cents  each  — Special  price  by  the 
hundred  . . 

(Catalogue  sent  upon  request.) 


FRANKUN  PRINTINQ  CO.  BALTIMORe 


